Donald Trump’s long-awaited military parade took place over the weekend, and while the former president unsurprisingly proclaimed it a success, most of his opponents considered it underwhelming, especially noting the sparse crowds along the route in Washington.
Among those pointing that out was one of the president’s least favorite people, his 2016 election opponent, Hillary Clinton.
The former secretary of state, on Instagram, pointed out that the crowds along Trump’s parade route looked relatively sparse, especially compared to the “No Kings” protests held around the country on the same day.
“Compare and contrast scenes from yesterday in America,” Hillary said on Instagram. “On the one hand, Trump’s low-energy Dear Leader parade (that cost you $45 million)… On the other, millions of people across the country gather peacefully to say: Here, we have no kings.”
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Clinton also took to X, where she praised the No Kings protests, declaring that “the right to peacefully protest is fundamental.”
The right to peacefully protest is fundamental.
It is in the Constitution.
No president can nullify it—because in the United States of America, we have no kings.
Join @IndivisibleTeam and more this weekend to make your voice heard: https://t.co/vBRWr3qvIw
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 12, 2025
There are no “official” numbers of how many people attended the military parade and how many went to the “No Kings” protests.
“Despite the threat of rain, over 250,000 patriots showed up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a social media post, as reported by The Independent. “God Bless the USA!” Outside estimates, however, have placed the number lower than that claim. It harkens back to the disputes over the crowd sizes at Trump’s first inauguration in 2017.
“When the day came, it was something closer to a medium-sized town’s July 4th celebration,” The Independent’s Richard Hall wrote of the parade. “There were families, picnics, bad weather and small crowds.”
According to the organizers, the “No Kings” protests drew over 5 million participants at events nationwide.
“Today’s protests are a resounding message that people across the nation will not be intimidated by President Trump’s fear tactics,” ACLU Chief Political & Advocacy Officer Deirdre Schifeling said in a statement. “Americans are brave, democracy-loving people and will not sit idly by as the Trump administration feeds our Constitution into the shredder — nor will the ACLU.”
Photo courtesy of Political Tribune media library.
